1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for attaching a door weather strip to a periphery of a door frame of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In a motor vehicle having door frames, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a door weather strip is attached to a periphery of a door frame 10 for creating a seal between the door frame 10 and a door opening portion 12 of a vehicle body. Generally, upon attachment, the door weather strip is fitted to a retainer provided along the periphery of the door frame 10 or is secured to the periphery of the door frame 10 with clips.
FIG. 2 illustrates one example of the door weather strip (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cweather stripxe2x80x9d). A weather strip W is attached to a periphery of a door frame 10, which faces the door opening portion 12 extending along a roof side 13 and center pillar 14 (FIG. 1). The door frame 10 is composed of an outer panel 10A and inner panel 10B. The inner panel 10B has a weather strip attaching surface 15 extending downwardly of a projecting edge 16 of the door frame. The weather strip W is an extruded body of sponge rubber and has a base portion 18 and a tubular seal portion 20. The weather strip W further includes a lip-shaped sub-seal portion 22. The base portion 18 is secured to the weather strip attaching surface 15 with clips 30 at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction thereof. The projecting edge 16 of the door frame 10 covers the outside surface of the weather strip W. When a door is closed, the tubular seal portion 20 contacts and presses the door opening portion 12, and the sub-seal portion 22 contacts and presses against an outer part 24 of the door opening portion 12 to effect a double seal between the door frame 10 and door opening portion 12.
On the other hand, to create a seal between the projecting edge 16 and weather strip W, a protrusion 26 is formed in the inner panel 10B so as to protrude inwardly from the projecting edge 16, and the outside surface 28 of the weather strip W is positioned in close proximity to the protrusion 26 so as to contact the protrusion 26.
However, some gaps may exist between the protrusion 26 and outside surface 28 of the weather strip W due to variations in the attached positions thereof relative to the door frame 10. If gaps exist, rain water and washing water, which have entered between a tip end of the projecting edge 16 and the outer part 24 of the door opening portion 12, may leak inwardly of the protrusion 26 via the gaps. Then, after passing under the base portion 18 of the weather strip W, the water leaked inwardly of the protrusion 26 may intrude into the vehicle compartment by way of the roof side portion of the door frame 12.
Especially, in the case where the weather strip W are attached with clips, the bottom surface of the base portion 18 of the weather strip W does not closely contact the weather strip attaching surface 15 between adjacent clips 30. Therefore, the water may intrude into the compartment of the motor vehicle. In addition, water leaked inwardly of the protrusion 26 may enter the inside of the door frame 10 by way of clip holes 32 formed in the weather strip attaching surface 15. Likewise, this leaking water may flow along an outer surface of a glass run (not shown), which is fitted in an opening of the door frame 10, to reach the inside surface of a door glass (not shown) after passing between the outer surface of the glass run and facing inner panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure for attaching a door weather strip, which prevents intrusion of water leaked between a door frame and the weather strip into a vehicle compartment.
With the weather strip attaching structure of the present invention, the door frame includes a protrusion, which protrudes inwardly from an inside surface of the projecting edge of the door frame. The door weather strip also has a base portion for attachment to the weather strip attaching surface of the door frame and a seal portion for contacting a door opening portion of a vehicle body. The structure in accordance with the present invention further includes a concave surface which is formed in an outside surface of the weather strip so as to face the protrusion of the door frame with a space, a channel-shaped groove having one of a U-shaped cross-section and V-shaped cross-section, which is formed in a lower part of the concave surface so as to open upwardly. A first seal lip is formed along an upper part of the concave surface such that a tip end thereof abuts the inside surface of the projecting edge, and a second seal lip is formed along an outside part of the channel-shaped groove so as to stand upright on the base portion. A tip end of the second seal lip abuts an under surface of the protrusion.
If water leaks between the projecting edge of the door frame and the first seal lip of the weather strip, the water is received within the channel-shaped groove formed in the lower part of the concave surface of the weather strip. Then, the water flows along the channel-shaped groove of the weather strip attached to the door frame and is discharged outside the vehicle""s body from the front and rear lower ends of the weather strip.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which forms a part of this specification.